American Pictures Series: James McBride

The “American Pictures” series at the Smithsonian continued with its fourth and final installment when memoirist, novelist, and musician James McBride explored a dynamic 1969 photograph of soul music legend James Brown performing at the Shrine Auditorium. The photograph that McBride chose to speak about, “Singer James Brown During a Performance at the Shrine” (1969) memorialized the legendary performer at the height of his career, bringing funk music to an audience eager to embrace the new sound.

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